A Blair man died following a single-vehicle accident Friday after a pickup truck struck a cinder block shed in a parking lot in downtown Blair.

Thomas A. Baessler, 57, died Saturday at Nebraska Medicine in Omaha.

Blair police, a Washington County sheriff's deputy and Blair Rescue responded to the crash just before 10 a.m.

According to the report, Baessler, driving a 2000 Ford F150, was traveling north on South 19th Street when he turned east onto Lincoln Street and then north into a parking lot behind Taylor Quik Pik. The vehicle headed north at a high rate of speed through the parking lot, across Washington Street, striking the median, before leaving the road and entering the drive-through of Lincoln Federal Savings Bank. The truck went over a concrete wall and struck the shed.

The building was destroyed and debris from it caused damage to a nearby vehicle.

Baessler was transported to Nebraska Medicine by Blair Rescue. He was not wearing a seat belt and airbags did not deploy.

Tire tracks could be seen crossing the street and into the parking lot.

A witness reported having to slam on their brakes as the vehicle crossed in front of them on Washington Street. Another witness said it appeared Baessler was not in control of the truck.

It was unclear if the Baessler suffered a medical issue prior to the crash.

~~~Obituaries courtesy of the Nebraska Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair, Nebraska Public Library~~~

Find a Grave Memorial #215641127